CSUMB vs. UC Merced

Should I go to California State University Monterey Bay or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSUMB or UC Merced is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Monterey Bay vs. University of California Merced comparison
California State University Monterey Bay University of California Merced College 3 College 4
California State University Monterey Bay University of California Merced
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Overview

CSUMB UC Merced
Location Seaside, CA Merced, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,045 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #861 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csumb.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSUMB UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,262 $19,340
Avg Net Price $11,435 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $8,702 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 83%

Admission

CSUMB UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,568 29,920
Admitted 11,611 26,766
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 7.8% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 19/24
SAT Range 960/1160 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

CSUMB UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

CSUMB UC Merced
Graduation Rate 38% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $144 $205

Diversity

CSUMB UC Merced
% Men 38% 51%
% Women 62% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 31% 13%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 43% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

CSUMB UC Merced
% In-State 96% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

CSUMB UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 7,045 students)

CSUMB vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUMB or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Merced than California State University Monterey Bay ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than UC Merced ($11,435 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Monterey Bay are 18.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,262 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Monterey Bay (83% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 197.3% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($25,868 vs. $8,702)

CSUMB vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUMB or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or CSUMB .

  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CSUMB (3.45)
  • CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than UC Merced (89.5%)

CSUMB vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSUMB or UC Merced? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC Merced and CSUMB.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (58% vs. 38%)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $5,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($14,000 vs. $19,899)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($144 vs. $205)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/